I need some perspective here. I'm a newby when it comes to choke tubes. I have a Winchester Ranger 1300 20ga I'm planning on using for a paper turkey shoot coming up. Currently the gun has a factory Mod choke installed. And for the past 20yrs, has done pretty well. I've only shot skeet with it.

So yesterday I attened my first one of these turkey shoots. And got to witness the pattern difference between a Mod and Xtra Full. So naturally I'm thinking my Mod choke isn't gonna cut it, and looking to possibly buy an Xtra Full, flush mount with notches. But I've read that Sporting Clay chokes, have longer parallel sections that help with more consistent patterns. Is this true? Or is it marketing hype, and purely speculative based on the shooter?

I'm looking at Carlson's brand. I can get the flush Xtra Full for $15, or upgrade to the Sporting Clay for $35. Just wondering if its worth the extra money or if there truly was any other advantage.

Thanks

Edit: I also will be buying a Factory Winchoke set, that includes a Improved and Full choke tubes with the crappy wrench. I just like having a set of things. But at the least, will have a full choke to use if the Xtra is too much.

oneounceload

December 6, 2010, 09:43 AM

The answer is..........................it depends............every gun is a little different and shoots loads and chokes differently - what might be ideal in one gun may not work out so well in an identical gun. It comes down to how YOUR gun likes a particular load through that particular choke. In theory, yes the longer parallel is supposed to help with patterning, as is a gradual taper at the choke. I prefer extended chokes as I do shoot sporting clays and I like to easily see what I have in the gun before a station - while I rarely change them that often, I have found them easier to ID and tighten by hand. Whether they pattern any better is determined at the patterning board.

Good luck at the shoot...............

zippy13

December 6, 2010, 10:15 AM

Like oneounceload said, …it depends...
It's my understanding the prime benefit of the projecting "sporting clays" style chokes is they're quicker to change. As far as pattern consistency is concerned: a $35 Sporting Clays choke tube may be more dimensional correct than a generic $15 choke tube; but, either could be a little eccentric.

If you're really looking for a significant improvement, send your gun to someone like Briley for a custom fit choke installation. But, it's hardly worth it for paper turkey shoots.

Much of shooting is what goes on between your ears. So, convince yourself that the $35 tube will perform better for you than the $15 one, and it probably will.

I don't know how the paper turkey shoots are conducted in your area. I'm familiar with the ones where a group of shooters each shoot at individual paper targets -- the one who gets the most holes in the turkey diagram, or in a circle, wins. IMHO, unless there is a special squad for 20-ga guns (or matched weight ammo is provided), without a 12-ga, you are really handicapping yourself at paper punching.

Oh… your Skeet scores may improve if you give a Skeet choke a try.

Good luck.

BigJimP

December 6, 2010, 01:39 PM

I think a lot of the info on various chokes is just marketing speak ... vented, ported, longer taper, etc ....

I like Extended Chokes - so I can more easily see what's in the gun ...and since I have a complete set of extended chokes for my guns / I use them for sporting, hunting in the field, Skeet, trap, etc ...

I think you're fine with the Extra Full ...or the tightest choke you can use in the competition .....but like others said / a specific choke will pattern a little differently in 3 different guns ....so it depends ...

First, Carlson makes great tubes. Also, longer parallel sections TEND to give more even and tighter patterns for the constriction. So do longer tapered sections, which is why tubes have stretched out over the last few decades.

Apples to apples, an extended tube of the same constriction will likely have more pellets close to the center of the pattern than a flush mount. But, only patterning will show how much.

Subgauge patterns can devolve with too much choke, and too much may be just a few POCs off optimum. Shoot some patterns and count errant pellets, not the ones in the center, to find your most efficient choke and load.